Raven AC3

Raven AC3 made in Germany in house accept for motor and belt.

I also really like my Raven AC-1. The sound character will also depends greatly on what arm you will use. I have Graham and Reed mounted on the table and they really sound quite different and you can hear the attributes of each arm clearly.
However, I did not have much chance to compare it in my system to other turntable of similar prices though.
I used to think that with Reed tonearm, it could not quite match the punch and slam of VPI Classic (both with JMW 10.5 and Reed arm using Reed arm pod) but once I have Graham arm mounted, there is definitely no deficiency there. On the other hand, it does not exactly out perform my Micro Seiki BL-111/FR64s/Koetsu combination either. By the way, I never could get Koetsu to sound great on TW for some reason.

I have had the Raven AC-3 for 5 years and consider it a fine turntable.
I have read reports from various sources suggesting a 'darkish' or ''coloured'
character and can only assume that the set-ups in question were subjected to
structure-borne feedback?
If you are able to support the Raven on a sturdy wall-hung shelf (as I
have)....structure-borne feedback will not be a problem.
As good as I find the performance of the AC-3 to be....there are two tweaks
that raise it to another level IMHO.

Firstly.....the 3 motors produce an eccentric (and small) belt contact point on
the platter which always worried me?
By removing one of the motors and relying on two diametrically opposing
motors.....you create a much larger contact area for the belt on the platter
without the 'eccentricity' created by the 3 motors. And this is important if
using a 'belt' as opposed to a 'string-drive' or 'thread-drive'.
Incidentally I have tried both 'string-drive' and 'thread-drive' on the Raven but
its 'grippy' Delcrin platter material allows both thread and string to 'slip'. One
needs a metal platter I believe....to allow successful implementation of both?
The main problem with belt-drive TTs IMO....is their less than stellar 'constant
speed control' and immunity to 'stylus drag'?
In direct comparison with my Victor TT-101 DD turntable.....the two motors
on the Raven deliver a better performance in this regard than the 3 motors.

Secondly.....Thomas Woschnik recommends the Millennium turntable mat
without a record clamp and, after trying alternatives..... for the first four years
I ran the Raven in this configuration.
Again in direct comparison to the TT-101......I found that removing the mat
completely and resting the record directly on the copper top-plate with a
good brass or bronze record weight (not clamp).....the performance very
nearly matched the Victor in most respects.

With good arms and cartridges.....it is now hard indeed to hear the differences
in performance between my two decks.

Well...if you believe Jonathan Valin it's either the AC or the Walker Proscenium for budget priced musical nirvana. :)

I'm not running an AC but a Raven One and, echoing Halcro, it's important to optimise a turntable until it either reaches its full potential or matches your expectations e.g. by choice of mat, table, shelf, tonearm etc.

I don't use a shelf but a progressively decoupled 3-tier tripod table (2" thick laminated oak shelves) mounted on a solid concrete floor.

EBM just because something is made in Germany doesn't mean it is better. Swiss made products or Italian, or British or American, or Japanese made there are numerous examples of fantastic workmanship and precision manufacturing in this industry as well as the automotive industry and many others.

I like BMW and Mercedes however, Audi which is made in Austria, or Volvo, or Ferrari, or Lamborgini, or Bugatti, or Aston Martin or Jaguar are hardly inferior products.

I would look at design more than just hype. Personally I find the Raven to be a competent design I just don't see why all the hype. The Raven does use fantastic materials but employs nothing other than high mass to make the table quiet.

A table such as the Merrill is a much more fascinating design and is a complete rethinking of modern turntable design I would also add the Kronos as a rethinking of table design.

I would consider strongly the design integrity and ingenuity in the way a particular product tackles the problems inherent in the issues of playing back vinyl, as one of the most crucial things in determining why a design sounds good or perhaps better than any other product.